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With a super late start up West Maroon Pass around noon on a completely clear day, my parents and I ascended the trail for the first time from the Crested Butte side. The trail was free of snow until you started to make the dogleg to the right before you head up the pass. Not too bad though, the only snow patches were about 15 yards long at the most.
It was at the top of West Maroon that my dad and I decided to climb Belleview, the prominent peak to the NW side of the pass. I had always thought of this peak to look like a nub whenever I would drive into Crested Butte and see it off in the distance.
From the top of the pass it looked very intriguing and we decided to start off by skirting around the left side of some small towers. There is a very faint path for this first part where you can sort of tell that dirt has been packed in some places inbetween some rocks on the ground.
Looking up towards the false peak with the summit to the right in the background
We stayed to the left side and walked on some shelves of rock that took us arond smaller cliff bands
Hanging left and avoiding big obstacles
The faint path then leads you to a short gully that is strewn with all sorts of gravel and loose maroon rock. I found it easiest to stick left because there is a short spine of a rock formation sticking out of the ground that provides better grip than the super loose shale and gravel.
Looking up the gully
At the top of this gully, continue left. You'll soon be faced with a short band of cliffs about 30 feet high, they looked very fun to climb, but we decided to go around them to the left side. If you go left the terrain is easier and you'll be able to climb back up towards closer to the ridge soon after.
Going under the cliff band to the left
We then gained back ridge access and kept pushing up looking towards the false peak.
Looking up at the false peak
Looking back towards Rustler's Gulch from the ridge
Near the false peak there is some very minor bouldering to do that probably never exceeded an 8 foot fall, about a class 2+. It's possible those rocks could be avoided possibly to the left, but we never took the time to check, it was fairly easy and the rock was solid.
Once on the false peak, the real summit was a super short distance away.
On top of the false peak checking out the true summit
It was at this point that my dad was feeling the fatigue on his legs and decided to hang out at the false summit and watch me make it to the real one, props to him for doing it with me. I descended the false peak on the right of the ridge and made my way closer to the tall tower which is the true summit.
Skirt around to the right of the huge rock towers and you will end up in a small gully with more loose rocks.
Short gully near top
Walk up that, and then the final challenge of the day is ahead. There's a minor rock wall made of fairly solid rock that you must ascend to get to the top. It probably only lasts about 20 feet and could require a class 3 move if you don't choose the right way. Stick to the right side towards the snow in the following picture.
Final wall, stay right by the snow and it's like stairs
The exposure is not bad at this point either and I thought the hike never exceeded a class 2+. Once up the short wall, you are only feet away from the summit!
Being dwarfed by the Bells and Pyramid
Thumbnails for uploaded photos (click to open slideshow):
...could be Mount of the Patriarchal Cross! Belleview Mountain has been on my list too. Thanks for the beta!
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